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Vegan Spots Worth Checking Out

This year has been all about becoming more open to trying new experiences and reinventing ourselves. Whether you’ve been trying to eat healthier, become more environmentally conscious or just want to try something new, a great way to tackle these goals is by adding some vegan dishes to your palette! While there are limited vegan-friendly restaurants near Pomona, we’re lucky to have Los Angelesand Orange County as neighbors with hundreds of different options from cultures all around the world. Here are some favorites that omnivores, vegetarians and vegans alike will drool over.

Yes, there is such thing as vegan Mexican food!Gracias Madre in West Hollywood serves up 100 percent organic plant-based goodness while artfully capturing the authentic, bold flavors of Mexican cuisine. Start off with their Quesadillas de Calabaza, made with butternut squash, caramelized onion, cashew nacho cheese and pumpkin seed salsa. Then, try their Enchiladas con Mole Negro made with fried plantains, cashew crema, black beans and sautéed greens. You also might want to make sure that your phone is fully charged because Madre’s house is so beautifully decorated that you’ll find yourself snapping pics of everything. Check out theirInstagramto see the vibe.

If you decided to cut back on chicken but crave the flavor of wings, you need to try Sage’s 3 Wing Platter: an assortment of buffalo, sweet and sour and barbecue cauliflower wings. You’ll get that same tangy flavor of wings but in a much healthier alternative. Our favorite thing aboutSageis that their menu is extensive; they have breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, family style, beer and wine menus! Try anything from themac ‘n’ cheese pizza to the amazing ginger broccoli fried rice. Sage has four different locations:Culver City,Echo Park,Downtown L.A. and Pasadena. Closing hours vary from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. on weekends if you’re trying to catch a late night bite.

It doesn’t get much better than authentic, 100 percent organic and plant-based Japanese cuisine! This Huntington Beachgem is owned and operated byAkira and Ana, two vegan chefs who moved from Japan with the mission of spreading health and happiness to California. When you come and eat here they’re the ones that are in the kitchen cooking for you. Yup, there are no other chefs, waiters or bussers so it truly feels like you’re being welcomed into their home! Theircorn chowder is a famous menu item; customers come and order tubs of it to take home. Try out their Japanese curry, ramenand Kobe BBQ bowl and you’ll be wowed. So the next time you visit Surf City, stop by VegiLicious for a unique experience with delicious food and A1 hospitality.

Mark Sunday mornings on your calendar because those are the only days that you can catch real delicious vegan brunch served atThe Wild Chive. With options such as the Monte Cristo sandwich, stuffed French toast and Wild Chili Waffelito (a cornbread Belgian waffle with tofu scramble, avocado and chili) to name a few, it’s no wonder why it’s already an acclaimed vegan brunch spot in Orange County. Try the Bonjour Manh Mi, a fusion French-Vietnamese sandwich that combines sweet, savory, sour and salty all in one baguette!

Lactose intolerant? No problem. Behold, Hug Life, a hip 5-star ice cream parlor in Garden Grove that offers a wide array of fun dairy-free flavors for you to enjoy! The consistency of ice cream here is just as creamy and rich as yourBen and Jerry’sorAfter’s Ice Cream, you wouldn’t believe it was house-made with 100 percent plant-based ingredients.

Hug Life says that their shop wants to create a movement, “being the change in the world by transforming the way we eat, the way we live our lives and the way we treat each other.” Sound familiar? The store has lyrics from 2Pac’s “Changes”plastered on the wall. Now do you get why they call themselves “Hug Life?”

Which vegan spot are you most interested in trying? Be sure to share your photos and experiences with us by using the hashtag #CampusCropChat onFacebook, Twitteror Instagram, and remember to follow us on Snapchat @ASICPP!